Mac users served info-stealer malware through Google ads (opens in new tab)

(arstechnica.com)

45 pointskbf1y ago24 comments

24 comments

Interestingly, there's a bunch of HNers who chide us and tell us we all have a moral responsibility to allow malware to be installed on our systems, because using an ad-blocker is "stealing".

GreenVulpine1y ago

Not exactly HNers. Most likely bots or at the very least paid shills.

thfuran1y ago

No, you have the moral responsibility to not steal and no inalienable right to consume all media you can get your hands on.

titusjohnson1y ago

Adblocking does not constitute "theft" under even the most strained comparison. Just because the post office keeps putting trash in my mailbox doesn't mean it's theft for me to only keep the letters I care about. Throwing ads/spam/trash into the bin instead of keeping it in my house is not theft.

thfuran1y ago

>Adblocking does not constitute "theft" under even the most strained comparison.

As long as you accept that things like walking into a restaurant bathroom and taking a roll or two of toilet paper or going to a bank to take one of the pens don't constitute theft under even the most strained comparison. Using an ad-supported site with an adblocker is imposing costs on a service provider by abusing a service provided under certain assumptions that you're knowingly and deliberately violating.

4 more replies

m1n71y ago

"you wouldn't download a car"

heck yes i would

m1n71y ago

are you implying that consuming media whilst blocking ads is stealing or do i just not get the sarcasm here. genuinely can't tell.

you're right about the second part i guess. not everything is intended for a public audience (like some cringe video clip with friends from a few years ago). with everything else (cinema, music etc.) i'd argue that my need for entertainment is more important than making sure some billionaires make 20 bucks on my purchase, especially if i can't afford it.

personally, i pirate everything and pay for stuff made by independent creators (foss devs, indie artists etc.) that i really like. perfectly moral

robnado1y ago

I've had phishing served to me through google ads a few times, so this hardly surprises.

tjpnz1y ago

Never forget that Google is all but complicit in this.

angoragoats1y ago

And Apple, who likely would have shipped at least a basic ad blocker on its platforms by now, were it not for the tens of billions of dollars per year that Google pays them.

freedomben1y ago

Why is Apple allowing Google to serve ads to Apple's customers?

superb_dev1y ago

You’re asking why apple doesn’t ship an adblocker in their browser?

shiroiushi1y ago

I don't know if that's what the OP meant with that question, but I do think this is a valid question: why don't they? It would certainly improve the user experience.

fxtentacle1y ago

I think the answer is somewhere upwards of $20 billion a year.

https://www.theverge.com/2024/5/2/24147007/google-paid-apple...

add-sub-mul-div1y ago

Because Apple sells its customers' traffic to Google for billions of dollars each year.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

24 comments

shiroiushi1y ago

Interestingly, there's a bunch of HNers who chide us and tell us we all have a moral responsibility to allow malware to be installed on our systems, because using an ad-blocker is "stealing".

GreenVulpine1y ago

Not exactly HNers. Most likely bots or at the very least paid shills.

thfuran1y ago

No, you have the moral responsibility to not steal and no inalienable right to consume all media you can get your hands on.

titusjohnson1y ago

thfuran1y ago

>Adblocking does not constitute "theft" under even the most strained comparison.

4 more replies

m1n71y ago

"you wouldn't download a car"

heck yes i would

m1n71y ago

are you implying that consuming media whilst blocking ads is stealing or do i just not get the sarcasm here. genuinely can't tell.

personally, i pirate everything and pay for stuff made by independent creators (foss devs, indie artists etc.) that i really like. perfectly moral

robnado1y ago

I've had phishing served to me through google ads a few times, so this hardly surprises.

tjpnz1y ago

Never forget that Google is all but complicit in this.

angoragoats1y ago

And Apple, who likely would have shipped at least a basic ad blocker on its platforms by now, were it not for the tens of billions of dollars per year that Google pays them.

freedomben1y ago

Why is Apple allowing Google to serve ads to Apple's customers?

superb_dev1y ago

You’re asking why apple doesn’t ship an adblocker in their browser?

shiroiushi1y ago

I don't know if that's what the OP meant with that question, but I do think this is a valid question: why don't they? It would certainly improve the user experience.

fxtentacle1y ago

I think the answer is somewhere upwards of $20 billion a year.

https://www.theverge.com/2024/5/2/24147007/google-paid-apple...

add-sub-mul-div1y ago

Because Apple sells its customers' traffic to Google for billions of dollars each year.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse